


Silent Fear

by Tarlan



Series: Silent World [17]
Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-07-19
Updated: 2003-07-19
Packaged: 2017-10-20 13:37:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/213333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chinatown</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silent Fear

Vin swore silently as he heard his name called by Buck as the larger gunfighter charged passed the open doorway. He mumbled a swift apology as he raced from Mrs. Potter's store, leaving behind the cartridges and new bandanna he'd been about to purchase, but Vin knew Mrs. Potter would hold onto them until his return. Buck was running towards the saloon and Vin could see JD coming from the other direction. The crack of a whip mingled with the sound of breaking glass and raised voices, and Vin quickly assessed the situation as he pushed through the batwing doors.

He winced as JD knocked one man through a window, knowing how annoyed Inez would be at having to replace the expensive glass. In the meantime, Buck had disarmed the man with the whip, slamming him up against the bar. Vin knocked another of the rowdy men to the floor, pulling the mare's leg and aiming it at the man but the sound of a single gunshot brought his head whipping up in time to see yet another man clutching his arm as the gun dropped from his lifeless fingers. Vin looked towards the entrance where Chris stood with his gun raised, not needing to see the gun smoke to know that Chris had drawn and fired on the railroad man.

Only the flicker of the long, blond eyelashes on the otherwise cold and emotionless face gave away Chris's raw anger at what had transpired, and it amazed Vin that Chris had gone for a non-fatal shot. It was impossible for Vin to determine who had been the intended target for that railroad man's bullet, though Vin had an inkling that it had been him judging by the depth of anger in the stormy green eyes.

"Fight's over."

Chris's soft voice held a hard edge that brooked no argument, his infamous cold glare falling upon all four miscreants. Buck and JD shoved the subdued bunch out of the saloon with Vin pushing out the wounded man. He saw Nathan approaching and gave the man's arm a vicious squeeze.

"Nathan, he got his-self a little scratch." Vin shoved the man forward into Nathan's hands. "Look after him."

As Vin watched the railroad men being herded towards the jail house, he recalled the incident that first introduced him to Nettie Wells. It was obvious that Royal had friends in high places as Judge Travis had not been allowed to pass a sentence of hanging even though they all knew Royal was guilty of hiring men to force people off their land -- or murder them if they refused to leave peaceably. He'd planned to buy up their land so that he'd be able to sell it on to the railroad for top dollar. In contrast, Tophat Bob Spikes had no such protection, and he had taken that long drop on a short rope barely a day after the Judge arrived in town. Vin had not bothered to stay around for that drop even though he'd disliked the fat, bald, one-eyed man from the first moment he breathed his stinking breath on him. His dislike had hit even harder after the man called out Chris, but then Vin knew he had no tolerance for anyone who tried to hurt his lover.

He sighed, knowing he was in deep, smitten too hard by the tall, golden-haired gunfighter but there was little he could do about it except move from day to day in the hope that he could keep his lover by his side. It was hard though. Social conventions in the white man's world made it a crime for them to have these feelings for each other, and sooner or later, the pressures of social acceptance would conspire to drive them apart. If Chris had been another free spirit, like him, or a man willingly to leave behind all the trappings of civilization, then life would have been one hell of a lot easier. They could have moved on from this town and found themselves a secluded place still in the wilds of the frontier where no one would know or care that they fucked each other into oblivion each night.

Vin closed his eyes, trying to let the frustration and anger settle so he could push away the raw feelings that threatened to overwhelm him. He let his thoughts return to the railroad.

How long had Guy Royal known the path it would take across the land? Had he been buying up land with an insider's knowledge, or had he been taking a gamble that the railroad would come this close to the town?

Vin knew he had a deep-seated fear of the railroad. Its arrival in his birth town had brought death as well as wealth to the region; his mother being a casualty of the diseases that swept across the country following the railway tracks. Would it be the same here?

Nathan had once tried to explain to him the nature of disease, how it lay low in a man, breeding its private army and just awaiting a chance to ambush him. Being so far away from the mass of humanity meant they had been spared the epidemics of influenza and smallpox that were rife back east and to the north... but how long would that last once the railroad brought strangers swiftly to their door?

Vin glanced back as he followed the motley group to the jail, belatedly noticing the two Chinese men who approached Chris stealthily though non-threateningly. Buck and Josiah were still standing with Chris and Josiah, at least, had spotted the men's approach so Vin turned away. He shoved the last man through the jail house door and into the cell, then slammed the metal grid-door shut, making a great show of locking it before hanging the key up on the hook close by. JD settled into the seat behind what had once been the sheriff's desk and Vin hitched a hip onto the desk itself.

"You know Inez ain't gonna be too happy about that window you broke." JD shuffled in his seat, his cheeks flaming with guilt, and Vin laughed. "Don't worry, JD. I reckon these boys will pay for that window along with any other damages to the saloon."

He reached over and punched JD on the shoulder, enjoying the look of relief that filled the youthful face. Vin knew that JD had been saving most of his dollar a day over these past weeks to buy Casey something special, and the thought of losing some of that money to pay for a broken window must have been a shock.

"Dammit, Vin. You got the meanest sense of humor I know."

Vin laughed at the admonishment and stood up. "You be okay here alone?"

JD indicated to the packed cells. "They ain't going no place."

As he stepped into the open doorway leading to the boardwalk, Vin paused and he waited as Chris, Buck and Josiah came towards him. He saw a pensive look in the green eyes as the three men ranged around him. Josiah slumped onto the bench just outside the door while Chris and Buck leaned against the uprights supporting the roof. Chris took out his frayed bandanna and wiped it across his forehead, the gesture reminding Vin that he'd been in the process of purchasing some items from Mrs. Potter when all hell broke loose at the saloon. Tilting his head so he could see Chris's eyes beneath the brim of his hat, Vin spoke with concern roughening his voice.

"Problem?"

"Maybe."

"Anything to do with them Chinamen hanging around you?"

"Said there's people disappearing just for speaking their mind. Said we'd ride up there and take a look around." Chris looked towards the jail house. "Figured we could escort these men back... and have a word with the rail boss at the same time."

Vin gradually maneuvered Chris out of earshot of the others. "You know we ain't got no say there. Land belongs to the railroad."

"If those people are being murdered then it don't matter who owns the land, Vin. Law's the law."

"Just wanna make sure you know what you're getting into, cowboy."

Chris nodded, his eyes speaking volumes to Vin before he moved away, a single slap of his hand upon Vin's arm the only loving sentiment he could express openly. Vin sighed, having read the want and desire filling the turbulent green eyes and knowing the cause. There had been little opportunity to slip away together over this past week because of the ever-increasing trouble brought into the town by the over-exuberant railroad workers looking to spend their hard earned dollars on whiskey and women. For the few working girls in town, like Blossom, this was a real bonus, though a few of their usual clients had become disgruntled at seeing their favorite disappearing into the back rooms with some stranger from the railroad.

Of course, not all of the men who frequented the saloon were looking for women and whiskey judging by the few that had propositioned him. Fortunately, none had been drunk enough to approach him in full view of others, though one big guy with an eye patch had been less inclined to take 'no' for an answer and Vin had been forced to deal with him the hard way.

Vin felt a renewed twinge of anger when he recalled those same men sidling up to Chris a little later. Of course, Chris rebuffed them with little more than a hard, cold glare, but it did make Vin wonder if he and Chris gave off some kind of aura that said they preferred the attentions of another man... just like Buck and his animal magnetism for the women. And if these men could read that aura, then how many more people had read it too, and how many of them had figured out his relationship with Chris?

With a grimace, Vin considered that the longer they stayed in the town, then the greater would be the risk of someone calling them out on their so-called unnatural desire for one another. Still, he had made a home here -- and friends -- and he was loath to leave all that behind, though he would ride away without a backward glance if Chris asked him to.

He watched as Chris started walking towards the livery, and quickly he fell into step beside him. Josiah and Buck came up behind, their long strides easily catching up with them. Vin's eyes scanned the store fronts as they strode along, and then he caught sight of Mrs. Potter. He reached forward and snared Chris's sleeve.

"Got to take care of some business before we set out."

Chris frowned, his brow creasing in that familiar way, eyes narrowed questioningly but Vin would only give a sly grin as he veered off towards the store. He entered the darker interior and gave a thankful smile as Mrs. Potter pulled out the bandanna and cartridges from a shelf just below her serving counter. Quickly, he pulled a few coins from his pocket and handed them over, waiting patiently as Mrs. Potter packaged up his items before handing them to him with a warm smile.

"Still think that blue would be more your coloring, Mr. Tanner."

"Yes, ma'am, but this one ain't for me."

He touched the brim of his hat as he bid her good day, and then Vin walked swiftly from the store to the livery to saddle up his horse.

The others were milling about outside the jail house, watching carefully as the four sullen railroad workers mounted up. Once everyone looked ready, Chris called out, "Let's ride," and they slowly cantered from the town.

It amazed Vin how much closer the railroad had come in just the past week alone but, as they entered the camp he realized it was as busy as an ant's nest. Workers, mostly Chinese, were scurrying in all directions and it took a moment to notice that, like in an ant's nest, each one had a particular task to perform whether it be laying track, leveling earth or providing food and water to the others. He likened the mostly white men ranged around them to soldier ants, supervising the workers and guarding the 'nest'. Chris dismounted and Vin followed, walking their horses through the hive of activity towards the center where they ought to find the queen -- or in this case, the rail boss.

A stationary Pullman stood on the newly laid track and they made their way towards it. A figure appeared from inside and Vin called out, "Where can we find the rail boss?"

"That, Sir, would be me. Rupert Browner's my name." The man jumped down from the Pullman and approached Vin and Chris. He stopped to take note of the four recalcitrant men still on horseback between JD, Josiah, Ezra, Nathan and Buck. "I see you've met a few of my employees."

"A little dust-up in town."

Vin felt a stab of repulsion race through him at the unhealthy gleam in the man's eye as Browner appraised Chris. There was a slipperiness about the man that reminded Vin of a rattle snake, with the calculating air of one looking for an opening to strike, and yet Vin was of the opinion that Browner's intentions had little to do with killing Chris. Vin knew that look. There was a hunger there that was similar to the one Vin had seen reflected in Chris's eyes when they came together after days of being kept apart, one of barely restrained lust.

Browner addressed his remarks to Chris with a courteous slyness that had Vin clenching his jaw in annoyance.

"I lecture 'em, I fine 'em, I fire 'em, and they still need to blow off steam, I guess. I--I will try to see that it does not happen again, errh..." He paused, waiting for them to introduce themselves but Vin was not inclined to give his name at the best of times, least of all to someone he couldn't trust, and Chris ignored the man too. "...Sheriff."

"No badges. We're just paid to keep an eye on things."

"Seven of you? That's an unusual arrangement." He inched closer to Chris. "Seems to me like the further inland you go... stranger the things you find." He reached out and gripped Chris on the shoulder in what would normally have been a friendly gesture had almost anyone else made it. Chris shrugged off the hand with the look of disdain but if Browner noticed then he made no outward show, continuing on smoothly. "That's progress, my good man. Anyway, I want to thank you for returning my men. That one there... with the wounded shoulder... is my top foreman." The foreman had the good sense to look contrite even as he acknowledged Browner's words. "Go on, Kyle, get out of here."

Vin forced a pleasant if bland expression as he addressed Browner, deliberately being over-familiar in the hope of getting a rise out of the man.

"Tell me, Rupert, if a man or two were to go missing off the site, you notice?"

"Well, we got several hundred men working here... coming, going every day. So it's kind of hard to keep track of 'em all."

"I reckon", Vin replied but it wasn't the response he had hoped for as every instinct screamed that this man knew far more than he let on. "Since we're here, you mind if we take a look around?"

"No, no. Not at all. Just spread a little money around."

Vin's lips twitched in a malicious smile as Chris turned and moved away immediately, not giving Browner the opportunity to try and pull him into an unwanted exchange of pleasantries. Browner climbed back onto his Pullman, leaning on the rail and staring out across the crowded camp with a wistful smile twisting his thin lips. Silently, Vin wondered if Browner was as thick-skinned as he made out, or whether he was deliberately ignoring the slights from Chris. Certainly, Browner's eyes still held that speculative gleam as they followed Chris's lean, poncho-clad frame through the camp, and yet he had paid no mind to any of the others. For someone intuitive like Vin, that unguarded look was easy to read, and Vin resented the man for it even as he relished the knowledge that other men wanted his lover too.

Chris had said they ought to split up to cover as much of the camp as possible, but Vin found himself walking along with Josiah. The first thing he noticed was that no one seemed willingly to even catch their eye let alone talk with them. Every gesture cried out their fear and Vin shook his head imperceptibly.

"Feller could get his-self killed talking to us."

"Got to catch the strays. That's our best hope. Ones off by themselves."

Vin's reply was noncommittal but, moments later, a man stumbled into their path carrying a heavy load and Josiah reacted instantly, lending his great strength to assist. He spoke once more in the strange language of the Chinese and Vin saw the man respond with gratitude.

"What did you say to him?"

"I told him to have courage."

"Well, hell, you got his attention. Try asking if he knows of anyone gone missing."

Josiah caught the man's arm and spoke haltingly in the foreign tongue but the man looked at Josiah with an indignant and strangely fearful expression before hurrying off. Laughter caught both Vin and Josiah's attention and they turned to another Chinese man who had overheard Josiah.

"What's so funny?"

"You ask if he know any man who smells good."

Vin barely held back the grin, reliving the memory of his lover lying naked by the pond with a freshly washed body and the scent of sweet meadow grass filling the air around him. His sun-dried hair had shone like spun gold, his eyes taking on a warm, smoky green that mirrored the succulent blades of grass growing by the water's edge as those long, blond lashes flickered before closing over them. Sandy eyebrows had knitted together when Vin straddled his lover on hands and knees, the forehead smoothing away the lines of puzzlement when Vin leaned down to plant a gentle kiss on the gently curving lips.

Chris had tasted good too: clean and fresh with just the slightest tang of saltiness from his gently perspiring skin. And he'd sounded good as well, making a low, throaty moan as Vin swiped his tongue over the tightening bud of a nipple before lapping at the base of Chris's throat, feeling the strong pulse of pumping blood reverberating against his tongue.

That had been a week ago, out on Chris's property, as they took a break from fixing up the shack. They'd wanted to get the most needed repairs done to the damaged walls during the warm weather so they would keep out the drafts during the long winter.

Like a great big cat, Chris had stretched beneath him... almost purring his contentment as Vin stroked and caressed his lean frame from shoulder to hip. His breath had caught when Vin's tongue had swept the length of the hard column of flesh, swirling over the head to dip into the sensitive slit. The heady scent of precome had mingled with the perfume of wildflowers, igniting a hunger deep in Vin's belly as he lapped at the pearlescent droplets. As he mouthed the flared head, Vin gazed up along the gently arching body to where those pale lashes flickered over lust-glazed eyes.

 _Beautiful in every sense_ , he thought, _Taste, smell, touch, sound and sight_.

"My Chinese is about as rusty as a dead horse's shoe, but, uh, maybe you can help me here."

Vin's attention returned to the present and he could only stare as Josiah called out after the two swiftly departing Chinese. He sighed at the hopelessness of the situation.

"Maybe we ought to split up. Might be less intimidating to these folks that way."

Josiah grumbled something about Chinese proverbs but slapped Vin on the shoulder before setting off after the two Chinese men leaving Vin shaking his head in resignation. He wandered on further alone becoming more concerned with each step as he read the fear in these people's eyes. Up ahead he spotted a small commotion with one of the white overseers beating on a Chinese man, and he grimaced. The white man had an eye patch, and Vin recognized him as being the same one who'd approached him in town offering payment for _special services_ like Vin was some cheap whore. Before Vin could reach the pair, another man stepped up and pushed _one-eye_ away.

"Leave him be, Johnson."

Johnson, Vin thought, not certain if he really wanted to know the man's name. He took another step forward and spoke softly when Johnson looked set to take the fight to the white man who'd stepped in.

"Man said leave him be."

"You best mind your own business, McAfee." Johnson threatened McAfee before stalking away. Vin saw recognition light up the man's one good eye, and Johnson paused as he drew level, but Vin made no attempt to make eye contact with him, keeping his face expressionless. "You making the wrong kind of friends around here."

"Ain't the way I see it."

The man spat on the ground beside Vin and then moved on, and Vin kept his hearing tuned into the man's footsteps until they became lost in the crowd. He prided himself on being a good judge of character and he'd disliked _one-eye_ Johnson from the moment the man sidled up to him outside the saloon in town two evenings ago, making his lurid suggestions on how they could have themselves a fun time. Except Vin knew Johnson's type, and he knew that Johnson would be the only one having any fun. Vin caught up with McAfee before he could move off into the crowd, recognizing that this might be his one chance of finding out what was going on in the camp.

"Good thing you came along."

"Good for who?" he snapped back.

McAfee carried on walking, his tone and body language letting Vin know that he'd be wasting his breath if he tried to talk with him. Vin sighed and let him go, silently wondering if any of the others were having better luck at getting answers.

****

Chris looked at the six others who had met back up with him, feeling frustrated at the complete lack of information gathered. He glanced around at the busy people, seeing how hard they worked for the few dollars they would earn each week but none of them so much as raised an eyebrow in their direction. Someone, or something, had them running scared, their silent fear overshadowing the camp like a dark cloud caught across the face of the sun.

"People are scared," he said, annoyed by a situation he couldn't change without knowing what the problem was.

"Well, they got good reason to be. They figure since they're not from here, they got to take it", said Nathan and Chris realized that he, of all people, probably understood the nature of that dark cloud of fear better than anyone else. He had been born under it on the plantations of the Deep South, had grown up in its shadow.

"Ain't much we can really do to help when none of 'em will speak to us." JD's exasperation seemed to be echoed within the others, and even Buck seemed resigned to leave these people to their fate.

"I hate to say it, but we got enough trouble back in town."

"Yeah, but it don't feel right just riding away."

Chris glanced at Vin, reading more than resignation in his lover's bright, blue eyes. There was anger there, fueled by the helplessness that they all felt... and something more besides. He knew Vin shared his low opinion of Browner for he had read the dislike in Vin's stance and words as easily as another man might read a dime store novel. And he knew Vin had hated the way Browner had looked and touched him earlier. Hell, he'd disliked it too. However, if Browner was mixed up in any disappearances then he had covered his tracks well, and unless someone stepped forward and was willing to talk to them, then there was nothing they could do to help. With a quiet sigh he turned towards his horse but froze as a woman's screams rent the air from close by.

They raced over to see a body lying crushed beneath a toppled pile of sleepers. Swiftly they hauled aside the heavy wooden sleepers that had fallen onto the unfortunate man, and Chris caught the flicker of confirmation from Josiah's pale blue eyes as he took in the battered features of the victim.

"That's the man who came to town." Josiah confirmed the man's identity to the rest of them, and grimaced in heartfelt pain as the young man who had accompanied the older man to the town pulled the battered body into his young arms.

From the corner of his eye, Chris saw Vin turn to him but he didn't need to see his face to know what Vin was thinking. It was too much of a coincidence, especially as Browner's top foreman, Kyle, had been in town at the time so he could have witnessed the Chinese man approaching them.

"Papa? Papa? Papa? Papa! Papa. Papa. Papa."

Josiah leaned down and tried to comfort the boy, Wo Chin, as Browner stepped up to join them.

"These senseless tragedies never get easier. Lord knows, this isn't the first accident we've seen, but I just kept hoping it'll be the last."

"I'm not so sure it was an accident." Except for Chris, everyone turned to Nathan, interested in hearing his reasoning, but Chris wanted to gauge Browner's reaction instead.

"What makes you say that?" Browner asked.

It was then that Chris noticed that Vin had moved off a few paces while Nathan explained about the bruising on the victim's face that didn't fit in with the way he had died. The sharp eyes were surveying the area but then squatted down, filtering hard-packed earth between his fingers. He stood up abruptly and called out.

"Hey, this don't look good. He was dragged down here by two, maybe three men."

"Well, gentlemen, if this is a murder, I will get to the bottom of it."

Chris felt a smile tug at the corner of his mouth at Browner's declaration, knowing how unlikely that would be as he suspected that Browner was implicated in this some how. All they had to do was find a motive, but Chris knew that they wouldn't be able to do that from the town. They needed to remain here so they could keep digging for the truth and, unwittingly, Browner had given them the opening they needed by providing them with a reason for staying longer.

"You mind if we lend a hand?"

"On the contrary, my good man..." Once more Browner reached out and slapped his hand almost possessively upon Chris's shoulder, and once more Chris shrugged him off without any noticeable annoyance from Browner. "I welcome the addition of intelligent life in this wasteland." He sighed heavily, as if this killing was totally incomprehensible to him but Chris could see it was all an act by the lack of conviction in the man's eyes.

What he did see in those eyes, however, was enough to make him wish he could get as far away from Browner as humanly possible. Behind the actor's mask Browner displayed total indifference to a man's senseless death and a boy's grief. Instead his eyes held a distasteful leer and Chris could almost imagine Browner mentally undressing him where he stood. The thought almost made him shiver in repugnance, not just because he didn't find the man attractive in any shape or form, but because of the malevolence that lay beneath those predator eyes. He waited until Browner moved away and then set his plan in motion.

"All right, we work in shifts. Vin... Josiah? Stay with me. The rest of you go back to town."

Chris watched as the remaining four men mounted up and rode out of the camp, knowing that they had to keep a presence in the town while the railroad workers were so close. Already there had been more than enough trouble for the Seven of them to handle back in the town, and Chris could only hope that four of them would be able to deal with any fresh trouble alone. It didn't help that certain factions were putting pressure on the railroad to run even closer to the town, perhaps right alongside even, but he could understand their fear of ending up a ghost town if the railroad veered more than an hour's ride away.

Mary's paper had stirred up that particular hornet's nest after she ran an article naming once prosperous towns that had become all but deserted after the railroad missed them. Truth was, Chris would have preferred not to see the railroad near the town at all, but there were others whose eyes had glazed over in greed at the thought of soaring land prices and increasing profits as the railroad brought more people and goods into the town.

He turned his head slightly as he felt a presence come up behind him but his sixth sense had already told him it was his lover rather than a potential threat. They stood together in silence, staring out across the busy camp to where the sun slowly made its descent towards the distant horizon. Browner's Pullman had been close to the end of the track when they arrived earlier that day but now it was some distance back even though it had not moved an inch. It made Chris realize exactly how fast they were building the railroad and, if they kept going straight, then the tracks would pass not more than a mile from the edge of the town.

Chris could only be grateful that he had chosen a parcel of land on the other side of the town, well away from the railroad, having no desire to see the 'iron horse' thundering through the peaceful haven he had built. For a moment he wondered how Nettie Wells felt about it passing so close to the small ranch house she had built with her late husband. At least she would be spared the actual site of the railroad for it passed on the other side of the ridge to her place, on the outer edge of her land. Still, the money the railroad paid her in compensation would go a long way to ensuring she lived comfortably through her remaining years, and would provide a good dowry for Casey too.

"Let's check around some more before it gets dark, then set up camp for the night."

Vin nodded his agreement and gave Chris the slightest of grins. In contrast, the heat in Vin's sky-blue eyes sent a far different sensation through Chris than he had experienced with Browner, making him feel light-headed as his blood raced into his groin. He felt the pressure of his physical need for Vin as an uncomfortable tightening in his pants and was grateful for the poncho that concealed what would be an obvious bulge of arousal in the snug fitting clothing.

Softly, he cursed the fact that they were standing among several hundred people, knowing that there would be no relief from the pressure building within him. But Chris knew that it was more than just needing physical release with Vin. That formed just one element of their relationship... though an important one nonetheless. However, if physical release was all he needed then he could have gained that from any number of willing females, for payment or for free, with no risk attached. What he did need, only Vin could provide. He needed the physical presence of those strong arms around him, and he needed the mental security of being cocooned within that gentle soul. Without Vin sex was a meaningless act, but with him Chris found his body and spirit soaring higher than any eagle.

They spent the last few hours of daylight asking around about the incident but, despite the murder having taken place in broad daylight, and in the middle of the camp, no one would admit to seeing anything.

By mutual agreement, they set up their small camp near the outer edge of the work force, and well away from Browner's Pullman. The tents surrounding them gradually became quiet as the evening wore on as people who'd worked through the day settled down to sleep. Others took over from them but, as Chris lay there, he shut out the sounds of men laying track until all he could hear was the distant twanging of music so different to what he would hear drifting from the saloon at night. He turned his head to look in Vin's direction, the ghost of a smile curving his lips as he watched the low flickers of firelight casting shadow and light over the strong and handsome face. Long, dark lashes flickered too, and Chris wondered what dreams had taken Vin away. A woman's voice joined the exotic melody, the words alien to Chris and yet stirring a sense of sorrow within him. Vin sighed softly in his sleep, and Chris imagined that the unfamiliar sounds had stolen Vin away to strange lands.

Soothingly, the melodic voice washed over him like a balm, gently floating him towards sleep, and gifting him with dreams of traveling to exotic places by his lover's side.

****

The scuffle of heavy footsteps close by brought him awake but Chris kept his eyes closed, gradually raising the lids, surreptitiously, in the hope of seeing what had disturbed his slumber. He recognized the figure of Rupert Browner standing maybe ten feet away and then realized that Browner was staring right at him, and had been watching him as he slept. The knowledge sent a shiver of repulsion crawling down Chris's spine but just as he decided to let Browner know that he was wide awake, the man turned and walked away. Chris opened his eyes fully and he watched until Browner disappeared between the numerous tents that separated their small camp from Browner's more sumptuous accommodation.

When he looked across at Vin, it did not surprise him to see Vin wide awake with his blue eyes narrowed and darkened in anger as he looked out towards the spot where Browner had stood moments earlier. Part of Chris felt triumphant at seeing such an open display of possessiveness from Vin, knowing that he felt the same way when another man made suggestive moves on his lover. However, another part of him was filled with fear, having experienced an overly possessive lover in the past: one who had made his life extremely complicated. In the end he had left Ella, moving on one day without so much as a goodbye, and hating himself for many a year after because of this cowardly act. Sarah had made him see sense after he admitted his guilt to her, making him realize that Ella had not been the kind of person a man could walk away from cleanly had he told her his intentions. Silently, he wondered where Ella was now, and if she had found someone who could love her back with every bit of passion that she had shown to him.

And, silently, he wondered if Vin could ever be that unhealthily possessive of him.

Vin sat up as more people began to stir around them, and the silent fear was swept away by a tsunami of desire as the first sun rays banished the gray shadows of the dawn, picking up the fiery gold and red strands in Vin's light brown hair. Anger disappeared from eyes that now seemed almost too deep and too blue for words to describe, revealing the gentle nature hidden beneath. Vin rose to his feet and stretched with catlike grace, his back arching to ease the discomfort of sleeping on the hard ground.

The rumpled, beige pants tightened across strong, flexing thigh muscles and Chris gave in to a momentary flash of memory. Heatedly, he recalled the way Vin had stalked towards him while he lay in the sweet meadow grass beside the pond on his land...

Vin's bare feet had made no sound and Chris's body had tingled in anticipation as he watched his gloriously naked lover approach. The smooth skin held a more golden hue than his own pale flesh, denoting Vin's mixed heritage more clearly than any other visible sign, but such things as racial mix were meaningless to Chris. Instead, he allowed his eyes to roam the silken flesh, enjoying the clean ripple of muscle sliding over bone as Vin straddled him on hands and knees. He'd closed his eyes then, wanting to enjoy the sensation of touch and smell as he drew in the musk-filled scent of his lover, and had began to worry when Vin remained poised above him so silently.

The touch of those warm lips upon his own had banished all concern and he had moaned in appreciation as Vin lapped at a sensitive nipple before that agile tongue swiped over his bared throat. His whole body had thrummed in contentment as Vin caressed him: his body arching up in an unconscious need to maintain contact with the gentle fingers that ignited every nerve ending in passing.

When Vin lapped at his aching erection, tongue swirling over the sensitive head, Chris had almost lost it, his body pressing upwards, trying to force more of his flesh into that amazing mouth.

"Coffee, Chris?"

Chris snapped his attention away from the living embodiment of that wonderful memory standing only a few feet away, and he accepted the hot brew from Josiah.

"Gonna ride out aways and check around."

Chris nodded his agreement and watched as Vin saddled his horse and led the gelding away to the edge of the camp before mounting up and riding off. He understood Vin's need to break away from the constant pressure of being surrounded by so many people, knowing the ride would give Vin a chance to regain his spiritual balance.

He was starting a second mug of Josiah's strong coffee when Wo Chin approached Josiah but Chris couldn't hear the exchange from where he sat. The boy seemed full of anger and seething resentment but Chris couldn't blame him for that. Yesterday he had lost his father and, as far as Chris knew, that left him with no family. However, there seemed to be far more to his resentment than could be attributed to the loss of his father alone, for Wo Chin had been angry from the moment Chris first met him in the town, when his father had asked for their help.

Any further speculation was lost when Vin rode up and called out to Josiah. They followed Vin through the camp and over a rise to where Vin had discovered a shallow grave. The body was turned over and Wo Chin looked on with lifeless eyes.

"My uncle."

The boy's father had asked them to help find his missing brother, though he had believed that his brother was dead at the time. It gave Chris no pleasure to discover that Wo Chin's father had been right, especially so soon after losing his own life and leaving his son all alone in the world.

"We'll find out who did this." Chris made a promise to the boy but he could read only grief and anger in the boy's dark eyes.

"No. You won't. No white man will ever help the Chinese."

Silently, he wished he could find a way to convince Wo Chin that he and his friends were not like the white men Wo Chin knew from the railroad, but Browner's arrival sent a coldness into the boy's eye that Chris knew he would not be able to penetrate.

"Oh, my God, what happened to that man?"

"A bullet." Vin's sarcastic remark did not draw out the response a man would normally expect from an innocent party... had Browner been completely surprised by the discovery of yet another murder victim. Chris added his own barbed comment.

"Another one of those accidents."

"What it boils down to most of the time around here is hatred. Not even the law backs me up. You want to know what the punishment is for killing a Chinese man? A five dollar fine."

Five dollars. Chris grimaced, well aware that the law discriminated poorly between whites and non-whites. If it had been a white man lying in that grave then the man responsible would have found himself hanging for his crime no matter the color of his skin. Chris glanced at Vin and saw the shuttered expression that told him how abhorred Vin felt at learning this. However, Vin had reason to be disgusted for there wasn't even such a pathetic low fine for murdering an Indian, which placed some of Vin's forebears at the lowest point on the human justice scale... at the same level as a dog. Even cattle had greater worth than a murdered Indian and Chris wondered how many times Vin had witnessed such miscarriages of justice first hand.

He returned his thoughts to the Chinese man lying in his shallow grave. Josiah summed up what Chris was thinking as he spoke in his low, rumbling tone to the railroad foreman.

"Man who was crushed to death... this here is his brother. Crimes of hate don't tend to be that specific."

****

Vin frowned as he saw McAfee take a quick look at the dead Chinese man, almost believing that he had seen anger and misery in the man's face before McAfee turned away. He called out, and raced after the man but any emotion he thought he'd seen had vanished by the time he caught up.

"Got nothing to say to you."

Anger flared within Vin as his eyes took in the desperation of the people around him; people who were worth only slightly more than were his maternal grandmother's people... in the eyes of the white man's law.

"I think you do. How many more of these people got to turn up dead before you decide to give a damn?"

"He'll kill me, same as them."

"No one will know where I heard it from. You got my word. You know this is wrong."

McAfee stopped walking, his eyes refusing to meet Vin's as he scanned the faces of people working close by, as if to assure himself that none of them were a threat to him. Vin watched him carefully, certain that he had some how got through this time.

"You're looking at the wrong end, bucko. It ain't about being Chinese."

Vin frowned again, and pressed McAfee for more. "What then?"

"Look at the money. Railroad pays a dollar a day for workers."

"Yeah?" _So what_ , Vin added silently. That was as much as the Judge paid him per day to protect the small frontier town, and some days that didn't even cover the cost of his bullets.

"Don't mean they're getting a dollar a day."

McAfee gave a wry grin as he turned and walked away without glancing back, leaving Vin shocked by this revelation. Although he earned only a dollar a day for putting his life on the line, most days were pretty easy going. He spent them sitting around watching the world go by, or helping Chris make repairs at his shack... Or burying himself deep inside his lover's beautiful body, taking pleasure from the moans of ecstasy as he thrust over and over, his heart and spirit soaring as he slaked his need within the ivory flesh.

Damn, he thought, as the powerful images assaulted him once more. He'd missed the feel of his lover's skin, slick with sweat and semen. Missed the wonderfully overpowering scent of their lovemaking, and the guttural moans and soft whimpers that filled the air as he possessed Chris. He wanted to taste his lover's mouth, his flesh... his release. He wanted to watch the ecstasy cross the angelic face as they climbed towards their heaven on earth and then toppled over the abyss only to land safe and secure in each other's hard and loving embrace.

He glanced covertly to where Chris stood next to Josiah, his eyes drinking in the lean frame, knowing every line and curve concealed beneath the dusty poncho. And then his eyes caught the fatigue and fear in the faces of the Chinese men surrounding them, dragging him back to an ugly truth.

Even a dollar a day would be little compensation for the back-breaking work they endured day after day, week and week, as the railroad slowly moved across the land. But to have been made that offer only to be forced to settle for less must be soul destroying. It explained why some of them had resorted to escaping from their miserable existence into the welcoming but destructive arms of the Opium dealers.

Vin took off his hat and held it down by his side, closing his eyes and raising his face to let the warmth and the light of the early morning sun cleanse him. He allowed himself a few moments, shutting out all distraction, and then he reopened his eyes. When he glanced back up the slope he saw Chris watching him with concern, and Vin sent a reassuring smile back to his lover.

He hated this place, and not just because of the hopelessness he saw in hundreds of dark eyes, or for the press of human bodies crowded in one small place, though these formed a large part of his discomfort and dislike. Mostly, he hated it because of the snake that ran the operation. Browner was abusing the people working for him; a man who was stealing from the railroad at the expense of these itinerant workers... a man who openly coveted the most precious person in Vin's life since his mama: Chris.

From Chris's reaction it was obvious that he took no pleasure in Browner's interest, but Browner seemed incapable of accepting that his attentions were unwanted. He recalled seeing the man standing only a few feet from Chris in the early light of the dawn, face twisted in lust as he gazed at his sleeping lover. The sight had sent Vin spiraling into barely controlled rage, and if Browner had not turned away when he did, or if he had made even the slightest move towards Chris, then Vin was certain he would be facing the gallows right now.

The power of his hatred for Browner stunned him, and though he had ridden out earlier in an attempt to analyze this deep-seated resentment, he had not been able to fathom the depth of this hatred. So what was it about Browner that cut so deeply?

Vin looked across to where Josiah had failed to console the grief stricken Chinese boy, and yet in that moment he decided that, when this was all over, he would seek Josiah's help in figuring out why he had reacted so strongly to Browner.

Movement drew Vin's attention back to Chris and he watched as Chris came down the slope to join him.

"You okay?"

"Fine. Just learned something that made me real angry."

"Gonna share?"

"Seems these people were promised a dollar a day for this..." With a nod of his head Vin indicated the Chinese laborers working hard under the increasing heat of the sun, "...except they ain't getting it. Least not all of it."

Chris looked back up towards the camp where he could see Browner watching him from a distance. Once more he felt a sense of repulsion crawling along his spine, knowing that those greedy eyes were undressing him where he stood.

If it had been Vin standing up there, with sky blue eyes glazed with lust, then Chris would have reveled in the attention, perhaps even flirted slyly just to see Vin squirm with desire for him. But Browner wasn't Vin, and Chris resented the fact that Browner looked upon him so openly with an almost proprietary air, as if he owned everything and everyone in this camp and could, therefore, do exactly as he pleased.

It occurred to Chris that maybe Browner did have such a hold over the camp, and it would certainly explain the silent fear that rippled through the workers whenever Browner made an appearance.

"What we need to do is ask these people how much they get paid. Find out how much Browner is skimming off the top."

"And then?"

"And then we take it to the Judge."

They spent most of the day asking around and, amazingly, some were willing to impart that information as if they were not aware they were working for far less than the rate promised by the railroad. It made Chris realize how desperate these people must have been to accept this hard work for such low wages, and he wondered how they managed to feed themselves let alone send enough money back to support a family.

What shocked Chris most of all was that Browner had not been skimming just a few cents off each wage, he had been halving each man's wage. It did not take a lot of skill to figure out that 50 cents per day stolen from several hundred laborers worked out to the best part of a thousand dollars a week.

How long had Browner been stealing from these people? Weeks? Months? Certainly a figure like that provided a good motive for silencing anyone that questioned his nefarious activities.

However, despite the information gleaned from the Chinese, Chris realized they had no hard evidence to take to the Judge that would implicate Browner in such a large fraud against the workers and the railroad. And Vin's next words proved that to him.

"Ain't no one gonna believe the word of these people over Browner."

"A scared man is more likely to make a mistake."

Chris looked to Josiah, a sly smile creeping over his face as he considered Josiah's words.

"Can't think of a better way of doing that than letting him know we know."

Both Vin and Josiah grinned, and then Vin's eyes narrowed.

"Sounds good to me... but just how do you plan on letting him know?"

"Easiest way, Vin. Go right on in there and tell him."

Moments later, Chris and Vin stepped up onto the Pullman and walked inside to find Browner poring over his maps. He stood upright.

"Gentlemen, you have something to add to this investigation?"

"Yep. A motive," Vin's eyes were as hard as sapphires, glinting dangerously as he looked at Browner.

"Really?" Despite the interest in his tone, Browner's eyes took on an equally hard edge.

"Railroad pays a dollar a day, but it seems the Chinese workers are only getting 50 cents. Someone's skimming money off the Chinese wages, then killing anyone who speaks up against it."

Vin's words appeared to make little impact on the man, his expression unchanging, so Chris added the final accusation, curious to see how Browner reacted to the accusation.

"Only one person in a position to do that."

Browner laughed, but Chris could hear the false echo within it, and yet it was also clear that Browner saw no threat from them despite their accusation. His eyes shone with the same lust and arrogance he'd held from their first meeting as he turned to Chris.

"My good man, you can't be serious." He reached out and laid his hand on Chris once more in the overly friendly gesture that set Chris's body pulling away in repugnance, and slapping off the proprietary hand that tried to lay claim to him.

"Touch me again, you'll see how serious I am," he snarled in anger and disgust, allowing Browner to see the dislike he felt for the man.

Browner's feigned affability vanished and Chris caught his first glimpse of the cruelty and arrogance that lurked beneath the surface.

"A bunch of malcontents feed you a malicious rumor, and you come in here and accuse me of murder?"

Chris's eyes narrowed as he took in the change as Browner revealed his true nature.

"We came here to investigate the disappearance of Chinese workers. And I think you're responsible."

"So prove it." The sound of shattering glass was followed by a _whoosh_ as a lantern crashed onto the wide table separating the adversaries. Licks of flame leaped out seeking anything flammable and Browner cried out in honest fear. "Put that fire out! Save my maps!"

Quickly, Vin and Chris helped him to put out the fire, aware that more was at stake than saving the maps for Browner's benefit. Without those maps the railroad would come to a halt until new maps could be brought in, which could mean weeks with no work and hence no pay for the Chinese laborers. As soon as the fire was out they hurried from the smoky interior of the Pullman to find a crowd had gathered around them.

"Caught this little bastard red-handed. Seen him toss a lantern in there." _One-eye_ Johnson had a firm hold of Wo Chin in one hand and a meat cleaver in the other, pressed up against the boy's throat.

"Is that true?" Wo Chin looked away but Chris had read the answer in the defiant eyes and, silently, he swore at this turn of events just when they had gained a reaction from Browner. Slowly he moved apart from Browner and his men, with Vin mirroring his actions, not wanting to have anyone between them and the horses should things turn ugly.

"Now, that's what I call hard evidence. Unlike yourselves, I have a criminal proven guilty..." his voice grew steadily louder, "...And in this camp, the punishment for attempted murder is death! Hang him!"

"Let him go," Chris yelled out, pulling back the poncho to reveal the colt peacemaker lying in the silver-studded, black leather holster at his side.

Vin followed Chris's lead and pulled back his buckskin jacket to give him easier access to the mare's leg should it come to a fight. He eyed the nervously shifting crowd, looking for any potential danger from a trigger-happy henchman, knowing that he was protecting Chris's back as well as his own. Vin breathed a little easier when he caught sight of Josiah slowly coming up behind Browner, Johnson and the boy.

Chris's voice softened and yet seemed all the more dangerous for it as they stared down Browner and his men. "Now!"

"Well, now, your sense of forgiveness is admirable, considering that you could've been burned alive right alongside me."

"There is no solution in more killing."

Josiah made his presence known, causing both Browner and Johnson to twitch when they realized how close he was to their unprotected backs. Vin allowed the smallest of smiles as he saw Josiah flip back his coat from his holster in readiness, the action telling all that, despite his words, he was willing to kill if it came to it.

"We're gonna ride out of here... and we're gonna take the boy with us."

Chris's softly spoken words held a deadly intent but Vin could see only cold rage in Browner's eyes, mostly aimed at Chris. He recognized that most of Browner's anger stemmed from Chris's rejection of him and, judging by Browner's extreme reaction, he wondered how often that had happened in the past. It was clear that he had fully expected to have Chris warming his bed, though why he had been so certain gave Vin pause for thought. It was then that Vin considered the power Browner had over the people here, holding them either through fear of their lives, as with the workers, or buying their favors, as he had with the white men who had probably killed at his bidding.

Was that how Browner had expected to get Chris? Had he planned to intimidate him into his bed, or offer him some financial reward in return for his services?

Browner's top foreman, Kyle, sidled up behind Browner. "These men are fast. And maybe this little devil ain't worth it."

Vin knew the perfect way to disarm Browner, by appealing to the greed within the man.

"If bullets start flying, people are gonna get killed. Railroad's gonna start asking a whole lot of questions. More than you want them to."

Browner chuckled malevolently as he inched towards the boy who was still held tightly by Johnson.

"Who really cares..." he grasped the collar of the boy's shirt as his voice filled with venom, "...About one... little... Chinese... bastard?"

Josiah shoved between the three, forcing Browner and Johnson away from the boy, his usually gentle face hardened in anger at Browner's obvious prejudice towards the Chinese people who were practically enslaved to him. Vin watched carefully as Josiah gently pushed Wo Chin towards him and Chris, and then the large ex-preacher turned, walking backwards with his hand close to his gun, his intention clear as he protected them while they mounted up. Once he was certain Vin and Chris were in a position to protect his back in return, Josiah stepped up onto his horse and then assisted Wo Chin in climbing up behind him.

Swiftly, they turned and rode hard from the camp, ignoring Browner's furious yell that floated behind them.

"And, you... I see any of you in my camp again, you will be shot on sight! For trespassing!"

Once they were out of sight of the camp, they drew to a halt and Vin eyed his companions carefully, knowing that they had made a tactical retreat rather than admitting defeat.

"We'll make camp here, keep an eye on things."

But, from the look in his eye, Vin could see that Chris had little intention of staying. He realized that, although they did not have any firm evidence to support their claim that Browner was a murderer and thief, they did have enough to warrant asking the Judge to order a formal investigation.

"You gonna wire the Judge?"

"Yeah."

Vin nodded his acceptance, wishing they were alone so he could do or say something to ease the tension radiating from the lean frame. He exchanged one final look with Chris, letting his eyes say everything that had to remain silent between them, and saw an answering warmth in the green eyes.

"Watch your back."

Vin waited for a moment as Chris and the others rode away. Then he headed into the scrubland to find a place of concealment where he would be able to keep a watch on the camp until Chris and the others returned.

****

It was dark by the time Chris reached the town with Josiah and the boy, and as they came to a halt Ezra stepped out to greet them. Chris acknowledged him softly.

"Ezra."

"What's going on?"

"A little misunderstanding." Chris sighed and stepped down from his gelding but he could see that Ezra's attention had focused on the Chinese boy still seated behind Josiah.

"Would you care to enlighten me?"

Josiah bid them both goodnight and rode on towards the livery, and church, with the boy leaving Chris alone with Ezra.

"Boy decided to take justice into his own hands, and nearly ended up hanging for it. Had no choice but to get out of there."

"So we are no further forward in catching the perpetrators of these heinous crimes."

"Oh, we know who did it, and why. Browner's been skimming off 50 cents out of every dollar the Chinese workers earn. All we don't have is hard proof."

"And what would you propose we do next?"

"Ain't nothing we can do, Ezra. I'm gonna wire the Judge. Let him take it from here."

"Which means little recompense to the poor individuals practically slaving for the railroad."

"Not like you to take the side of the underdog, Ezra."

Chris narrowed his eyes at the betraying twitch in the normally impassive face, wondering what had caused this sudden concern for the plight of the Chinese laborers. It was then that he saw the slight frame of a Chinese girl hiding in the shadows behind Ezra, and he smiled at the thought of this girl having tugged at Ezra's conscience. He bid Ezra goodnight and led his horse over to the livery before he made his way back to the Telegraph Office, wanting to get a message sent to Judge Travis right away. Quickly, he wrote out the message and waited until he was certain it was legible to the operator before heading for the door.

Chris paused on the threshold for a moment to bid the man a good evening, the promise to send the telegram right away floating behind him. He had gone only a few steps before he realized somebody was behind him, and he looked back to find Wo Chin waiting in the shadows.

"You all right, Son?"

Chris could not decipher all the emotions that crossed the young boy's face, seeing anger mingling with grief predominantly. Once again he was convinced that there was far more to Wo Chin's anger than the death of his father and Uncle and, for one moment, he thought the boy would tell him. Instead, Wo Chin looked down at the gun in Chris's holster.

"I want to learn to shoot like you."

"Why?"

"So I can be an American."

Chris gave him a sardonic grin. "Learning to shoot don't make you an American. But it could make you a killer."

It wasn't the answer Wo Chin had been hoping for, and the boy stormed off, throwing angry words over his shoulder, "You won't teach me, I'll teach myself."

"It won't fix the way you feel."

Wo Chin stopped abruptly, shoulders rigid with barely controlled anger, and then he turned on Chris, his dark eyes raking Chris from head to toe.

"When you are beaten and cheated and killed just because you're Chinese, then you can tell me how to feel."

"You're right. I don't know nothing about being Chinese. But I know about hate... and killing a man because of it. And it don't take that hate away. It just makes you feel dead inside."

Chris turned away from the boy, wanting to get away from him before he dwelt too heavily on the past when he had allowed hatred to overpower him. Hatred had left a man dead in the street because he had not been strong enough to turn away and let others mete out true justice. But instead of empowering him, the man's death had shamed him even though it had been judged as a lawful killing.

Joshua Harper had been a mean son-of-a-bitch who had instilled an instant dislike in Chris that quickly turned to hatred after a series of incidents left a good friend lying dead on the dusty street. Chris had sworn revenge, calling Harper out. Although the sheriff had exonerated him because Harper had gone for his gun first, Chris had known from the outset that Harper couldn't beat him to the draw. He'd killed him in cold blood -- no matter what the law said -- and, years later Chris still felt that death as a black spot on his soul.

"Guns and hate... it's a bad mix."

With long, fast strides, Chris made his way to the boarding house, taking the stairs three at a time and not stopping until he had closed the door to his room behind him. He pulled off his hat and threw it onto the dresser that stood in the corner, and then released his gun belt and hung it on the bedpost close at hand. With a heavy sigh, he lowered his tired body onto the bed, and lay back in the darkness, staring at the darkened ceiling. A part of him wanted to get back on his horse and ride out to where Vin had set up camp for the night but he knew it wouldn't be easy to find him in the dark especially as there would be no moon rise until well after midnight.

Of course, it was always possible that Vin would find him.

Chris grinned at that thought but then the heaviness of responsibility weighed down upon him. He needed to be in town to await a reply from the Judge, for once uncertain of what action they could take against Browner alone. Although they had discovered two murder victims, they had no firm evidence that Browner had been the mastermind behind the killings, only a gut feeling... and no one was going to find Browner guilty just on his say-so. Also, now that Browner had refused them access to the camp they had no way of turning those gut-feelings into hard evidence without trespassing on railroad property. And just as he had yelled as they rode away, Browner would be well within his rights to shoot them if they did trespass.

The atypical indecision provided him with a good clue that this was a matter that had to be taken up by others, though mainly because he and his fellow protectors had no jurisdiction over the railroad camp.

Eventually he slept, though fitfully, with his dreams full of shadows. In them he lay naked on a firm bed in a narrow room that was sumptuously decorated. He knew the room was moving for he could feel the rhythmic vibrations of a train running along the track, and he could see the steam billowing past the windows as the room rocked gently from side to side.

A shadow moved along the far wall, slowly coalescing into the form of a naked man. Chris looked hard but couldn't see the man's face, and the shadows concealed all but the man's straining shaft, its tip glistening with want. However, as the man came closer Chris snarled, recognizing the malevolence that was Rupert Browner. He tried to draw away but even though there were no visible shackles holding him to the bed, Chris could not move his suddenly heavy limbs.

Browner crawled onto the bed, slowly straddling him in a macabre reflection of his last lovemaking act with Vin. A tongue lapped at his nipple, then white teeth bared and nipped at the pain-hardened nub. Browner moved across his body until those sharp teeth bit into the vulnerable base of his throat, while unwanted hands trailed down his body from shoulder to thigh.

"Touch me again, you'll see how--"

"See what?"

Browner laughed as his tongue licked from the root to the crown of Chris's flaccid shaft. Then he gazed over his shoulder -- meaningfully -- drawing Chris's attention to the men who had appeared out of the mists of his nightmare. Johnson had Vin in a tight grip, the meat cleaver poised against his lover's throat drawing a thin red line that started to ooze droplets of Vin's precious blood.

"Trespassers will be shot... or maybe decapitated." Browner crawled off the bed and was reaching for Vin, grasping the collar of his shirt. "Who really cares about one little... half-breed... bastard. Hang him!"

A rope appeared from nowhere, tightening around Vin's throat as his lover was hoisted off his feet, struggling and kicking. And Chris could do nothing to stop Browner except... the tableau froze, apart from Browner, and Chris could only watch in horror as Browner crawled back onto the bed, sliding his flesh along Chris's until he covered him with the length of his body. The twisted grin closed over Chris's mouth, and he gagged as a thick tongue forced its way inside in the mockery of a lover's kiss.

Beyond the room he heard the train whistle blowing, shrieking discordantly... releasing his limbs from their paralysis, and he sat bolt upright, eyes wide with fear, and body slicked with sweat. The shriek came again, followed by a woman's laughter and Chris moved to the window in time to see one of the few working girls drunkenly playing with a client just a little ways off.

He took several deep breaths, trying to slow his racing heart, and then he sat back down on the bed and closed his eyes, body still shaking from the horror of the nightmare. He wasn't certain if he wanted to analyze the dream; afraid of discovering it was all part of some terrible prophecy. Though, logically, he knew it was all part of his silent fear of losing Vin to the hangman's noose mingled with the uncomfortable feelings Browner had instilled in him by his openly lascivious looks.

Beyond the window the sky began to lighten, and Chris watched as the moon slowly rose from behind the buildings opposite, casting a silvery glow that banished all but the darkest shadows from his room. The street below had fallen into silence with not even the distant sound of laughter drifting from the saloon.

Chris lay back down on his bed and closed his eyes, this time pushing an image of his handsome lover into his mind. With a sigh he banished the nightmare vision of Rupert Browner and felt, again, the love and tenderness of Vin's welcome caress as he drifted into a far more pleasant dream.

****

Vin woke from a light doze as the moon rose, turning over to lie on his back and stare up at the canopy of bright stars. It was a warm, clear night with only the glow of the campfires from the railroad, and now the moon rise, jostling in competition with the stars. The moon won, its silvery rays lighting up the land and, to Vin's fancy, turning it into a magical kingdom.

Despite the warmth, Vin wished he could have set up a small campfire to heat up some coffee and beans but even that meager light might have been spotted from the camp below on such a clear night as this. He couldn't afford to have any of Browner's men spot him, having seen the hatred in Browner's eyes directed at him during that final exchange. He listened hard. The constant sound of track being laid bled all the way across the land to where he lay as the Chinese worked in shifts through both day and night. He filtered away the railroad until he could hear only the natural sounds around him.

Vin raised his arms and placed his hands to form a pillow behind his head, and then he allowed those last few minutes back at the camp to replay in his mind.

Some innate sense warned him that Browner had seen him as a rival for Chris's affection and, once more, Vin returned to his earlier thought that there was some kind of aura about him and Chris that drew other like-minded men to them. He frowned, his thoughts traveling all the way back to the day he and Chris first met.

Had they known at that first glance that the other was inclined towards men? Certainly Chris had followed him up from the Seminole Village that night without any doubts in his mind... and Vin grinned as he relived that first time, recalling the velvet tongue and hot mouth that had brought him to completion.

Strangely enough it had been a night just like this one, with stars like diamonds strewn across black velvet, and a gibbous moon hanging low on the horizon.

With a sense of devilry, Vin reached down to unbutton his pants, his hand sliding inside beneath the layer of modesty garments to wrap around his burgeoning erection. He worked the hard shaft for a moment and then he rose to his knees, legs apart for balance.

With loving care he brought an image of Chris to mind, focusing on lips swollen by kisses, on green eyes glazed with passion and on the soft gasps of pleasure as Vin sucked and bit his creamy flesh. He imagined the beautiful mouth descending on him, plumped lips parting to reveal a hint of white teeth. He would be enveloped in the wet heat, the sensitive tip bumping against the velvet palate; sides scraping against the sharp ridge of teeth as he thrust slowly, carefully into the welcoming mouth. Chris's long, agile fingers would fondle his balls, squeezing them gently, rolling them against the palm of one hand while fingers on the other would slide around and trail along the sensitive flesh between his ass cheeks. One wet finger would rim the tight muscle, slowly slipping inside, thrusting and rubbing along the inner wall until it found the sweet spot.

Vin threw back his head and gasped as his body reacted to the well-remembered sensation, feeling an echo radiating through him as his seed pumped through his working fingers, splattering over the ground before him. He opened his eyes, seeing the bright spots of ecstasy slowly fade into the pinpoint of starlight.

He sat back on his heels as the last echoes thrummed through his body, then brought up his hand, delicately licking at the spent seed as he focused on the remembered taste and scent of Chris.

Damn, but he missed the feel of Chris in his arms, and loathed the thought of anyone else touching his lover. Loathed Browner for even thinking he could take his lover from him.

Vin reached for his bandanna and water canteen, and he quickly cleaned off the residue of his solitary pleasure. He took a sip of water to ease his parched throat and then lay back down on the hard ground, staring back up at the moon and stars, wondering if Chris was sleeping right now.

Vin closed his eyes, a smile curling his lips as he fell back into another light doze, this time filled with images of his sleeping lover lying naked with his ivory flesh bathed in silvery moonlight.

The sound of people shouting in the distant camp brought Vin awake again to discover he had slept past the dawn. He crawled up to the edge of the ridge so he could look down into the camp, using the cover of some of the scraggly bushes. He raised the spyglass as a fresh commotion caught his eye and Vin frowned as he recognized Wo Chin walking through the camp carrying a gun. Several Chinese men approached him, trying to stop him but Wo Chin seemed set on what he was doing.

Vin wasted no more time. He tightened the cinch on his already saddled horse and mounted up but had gone only a few steps when he heard the sound of gunfire coming from close by. Knowing that it could not be coming from Wo Chin, Vin headed back along the ridge, leaping down from his horse when he saw Ezra in need of his help. Vin shoved the mare's leg into Kyle's neck and kicked off the other man attacking Ezra.

"Well... as always, Mr. Tanner, your timing is impeccable."

Vin grinned as he shoved Kyle aside; not bothering to watch as Browner's men scurried away like rats. He reached down and allowed Ezra to use his arm as a support as he rose to his feet.

"Need to get back to town... get Chris and the others. There's trouble brewing at the railroad."

Ezra slapped the dust from his fine clothing, and then looked across the small clearing.

"I see Mr. Browner's men kindly left me my horse. Shall we, Mr. Tanner."

"Hell, yes. Let's ride."

They galloped back towards the track that led to town, and Vin grinned anew when he saw five very familiar riders come to a halt and wait for them.

"It's not like you, riding off alone to save the day. What's come over you?"

"I'll, uh, I'll let you know when I figure it out."

Vin shook his head at the exchange between Nathan and Ezra, hearing more than gentle admonishment in Nathan's rich voice. He recognized the warmth of friendship, and Nathan's relief at finding Ezra unharmed. Ezra's reply held its own deeper meaning as Ezra registered Nathan's silent apology and felt the respect flowing from the others for his selfless act. Vin just hoped this unspoken praise didn't go to Ezra's head for Chris was liable to shoot him if he went off on his own like that again without telling anyone his intention... though he'd do it out of exasperation rather than anger.

Thinking of Chris brought his head around, and he glanced across at Chris. Vin saw the welcoming warmth in the green eyes before Chris turned away to set them riding for the camp, but it was enough to reassure Vin that his lover was fine.

As they rode into the camp, Vin could see that they were too late to prevent a fight breaking out, but not too late to stop it before it turned too ugly. The Seven jumped into the affray and, not far off, Vin spotted Wo Chin. The frightened boy was holding fast to the gun that Vin now realized belonged to Josiah, but he didn't stop to wonder how Wo Chin had taken it from him. He saw _One-eye_ Johnson pull a gun, intending to kill the boy, saw the fear register in the boy's face when he realized he was about to die but Vin couldn't get his mare's leg free. McAfee came out of nowhere, striking Johnson across the back with a hefty stick but, though the impact dropped Johnson to the ground, the one-eyed henchman still retained a tight on his gun and he aimed it at the defenseless McAfee. However, McAfee's intervention had bought Vin the time he needed to clear the mare's leg from its holster, and he fired at Johnson, killing him outright.

In the melee, Vin lost sight of Wo Chin, and more importantly, of Chris, but he had a good idea of where Chris would be heading so he worked his way in that direction as they quickly brought the fight to an end.

****

Chris managed to fight his way through the battling men towards Browner's Pullman. A shiver ran through him as he saw the long narrow car sitting on the track, ghosts of the previous night's dream coming back to haunt him. He saw Browner race from the Pullman with a saddlebag thrown over his shoulder and Chris knew he'd not reach the man before Browner made it to his horse and rode off.

Cursing softly in the knowledge that his own horse was too far away to be of any help, it surprised Chris to see Wo Chin stand out in the open with Josiah's large gun held awkwardly in his small hands. Wo Chin raised the gun, holding it unsteadily as Browner raced towards him on horseback. The gun went off, and Browner fell from the horse no more than fifteen feet from the boy.

By now Chris had cleared the crowd and he moved swiftly forward as Browner gained his feet with his left arm hanging uselessly by his side. Browner pulled a gun from his belt and aimed it at the boy, and Chris could see from the wide-eyed panic in the boy's face that Browner intended to show no mercy. As Browner's finger tightened on the trigger, Chris reached him and, stilling his repugnance at touching this man, he gripped Browner on the wounded left shoulder, causing him agony, and pressing him down to the ground as Chris pulled the gun from the man's grasp.

"You're gonna hang... my good man."

When Chris looked back up he saw Wo Chin handing the gun back to Josiah, and he nodded gently. He was pleased that the boy had finally understood what he had been trying to tell him last night, that using a gun didn't make you a man... it just made you a killer or a greater target for other killers.

It took the best part of two hours to clear up the damage to the camp with Nathan working alongside the Chinese in tending to the wounded while McAfee organized people into helping make repairs to torn down tents. Not long after, two strangers arrived bearing identification papers that told Chris that these men were representatives of the railroad who had come to take both Browner -- and the ledgers proving his guilt -- into custody.

Chris stood aside and let Ezra be the one to hand over the ledgers so he could complete the self-appointed duty he had taken on last night; a duty that had almost earned him a bullet and a shallow grave. Then he watched as Vin congratulated McAfee on his promotion to rail boss before handing over the money that Browner had stolen from the Chinese workers.

When he turned back he saw Josiah talking with another Chinese man.

"So you'll look after the boy, won't you? Make sure he stays out of trouble."

"His father was my friend. I'm pleased to watch over his son."

Josiah reverted to his rusty Chinese and the man laughed and walked away.

"See? Now that's modesty for you. I just told him he's got a place in heaven."

Wo Chin laughed. "You just told him he's an idiot."

Chris couldn't help but laugh too as Josiah went racing off after the man he had just inadvertently offended. But then he turned back to Wo Chin, wanting to make sure he was happy with the arrangements Josiah had made for him.

"Are you all right with this?"

Wo Chin nodded, and Chris could see a freshly won peace in the boy's eyes.

"Maybe I'll see you again sometime."

"Well, the world is becoming a smaller place. Anything's possible." For once, the encroachment of civilization did not seem quite so bad, especially if it would bring welcome reunions in the future. "Good luck."

He watched until Wo Chin had disappeared within the city of tents to join Josiah and the man who had offered to be his family, and then Chris glanced over his shoulder as a familiar presence tingled through him.

Vin stopped by his side, his blue eyes gazing ahead as if his vision was sharp enough to see through the walls of tents.

"You know Browner extracted... favors... from boys like Wo Chin, through fear."

"Yeah. Took a while, but I finally figured out where all that hate was coming from. Always knew it weren't just because of the money... not even sure if Wo Chin's father knew how badly he and his people were being cheated. Figure he'd have said something that day in town if that had been the case."

Vin nodded his agreement. "Ain't nothing more we can do here, Cowboy."

Chris smiled sadly but with some contentment, knowing that they had done all they could for these people. He eyed Vin covertly, a sly grin forming.

"What say we head out to the shack and let the railroad deal with the rest?"

"Sounds like a plan to me."

They rode slowly, bypassing the town on the way out to the shack to avoid being caught up by town business. With each passing mile Chris felt his spirit lift as if he had been caught beneath a great black cloud this past week. They rode in silence, enjoying the natural sounds without the need to filter out the man-made ones beyond the clinking of reins and creak of leather.

The sun was sitting on the edge of the horizon when they, eventually, came to the border of Chris's land. But as they rode through the final stand of trees at the edge, Vin looked across at Chris, his blue eyes dancing mischievously.

"Race you to the shack... last one there goes bottom."

Chris swore as Vin's horse leaped ahead, then laughed at the feel of the warm air rushing past his face, and of the horse's mane whipping back against him as he leaned all the way forward in the saddle. He could feel the gelding's powerful muscles rippling beneath him, stirring his own passion as he became one with the horse as they raced across the meadow. Ahead he heard Vin's whoop of delight and as he slowly drew level, he captured the image of light brown hair flowing wildly from the enraptured face before Vin leaned harder into his horse's neck and pulled ahead once more. Vin pulled up sharply, leaping from the back of the horse just as Chris reached him; his eyes alight with victory and excitement.

Without waiting, he pulled Chris from his horse and slowly pushed him to the ground as his mouth plundered Chris's. When he finally pulled back, Chris stared up into eyes filled with the heat of desire and far more.

"Damn, Larabee. I could take you right here and now. Want you so bad."

Chris moaned as Vin leaned down to nuzzle his throat, sharp teeth nipping the tender flesh. Lights flashed before his eyes as all his blood rushed southwards into his groin, filling him with an ache deeper than he had ever experienced. He thrust up against Vin, grinding his hips against the hardened mass at Vin's groin, reveling in the sobs of pleasure and need that reverberated through him as Vin sucked harder on his throat.

A hand reached between them, tugging at buttons, pulling aside garments until Chris could feel the callused palm sliding over his heated flesh. His own hands worked beneath the layers of Vin's clothing, short nails digging into the strongly muscled back, raking down from shoulder blade to the curve of Vin's ass. Vin arched against him, increasing the pressure against his hard shaft and Chris gasped, eyes barely focused as lengthening shadows stole over them.

Vin drew back onto his heels, his knees straddling Chris's. At Vin's insistence, Chris raised his hips clear of the ground, sighing in relief as the tight pants and undergarment were pulled down below his knees. Vin moved aside, helping him as he kicked off his boots before tugging off the restricting clothing, completely freeing Chris's legs. He threw off his buckskin and tore open the front of his pants to reveal his own hardened shaft.

Chris didn't object when Vin pushed his legs wide apart, kneeling between them and then leaning down to lick and bite the sensitive white flesh of his inner thigh. He groaned as the talented mouth nuzzled the tight sac while a wet finger pushed inside the tight ring of muscle. Vin's hand wrapped around Chris's engorged shaft, working him in a rhythm of ecstasy while first one then two fingers brushed against the sweet spot deep inside, over and over, taking him higher and higher until his senses overloaded and he came hard. He barely registered Vin's use of the slick seed he had caught in his palm to loosen him further, and he gasped when Vin pushed back his legs, practically doubling him over before Vin's hard shaft pushed deep inside his body in one powerful thrust.

Pain and pleasure coalesced into an indescribable sensation as his already over sensitized body bore down on the intruder in silent fear as his nightmare returned in full force. Chris forced his eyes open as the thrusting came to a sudden halt, looking up into the concerned face of his lover that was almost lost in shadow above him.

"You okay?"

The dark shadow -- that was Rupert Browner -- melted away as Chris heard the rough voice full of tenderness and concern, and saw the desire-filled eyes wide with fear and remorse that he might have hurt him. Chris let the panic flow away, the tension in his muscles easing until the thickness of Vin's hard shaft became a bearable and much wanted sensation. He contracted his inner muscles around the bulk and heard Vin's gasp of pleasure, smiling wickedly as the lust-glazed look came back to the gentle eyes.

He gained a momentary impression of his body; legs forced back towards his chest by the presence of Vin's strong body... pressing back against the broad shoulders in turn. Vin's long hair hung over them, and Chris felt the strange tickling sensation that added to the pleasure within him. He saw tremors in the muscular arms holding Vin above him, and he tilted his chin up to meet Vin in a soft and gentle kiss. When they parted, he saw relief in the desire and fear-darkened eyes.

"Didn't mean to hurt you."

"Ain't hurting now."

Chris bore down on Vin's hard shaft again, letting him know that he wanted him to move, and Vin rewarded him with a long, slow thrust that hit just the right spot and sent waves of pleasure flowing over Chris. He withdrew just as slowly, then thrust again, going deeper with each stroke and drawing Chris along with him as they slowly climbed to the stars that were gradually forming over their heads.

Familiarity had them so greatly in tune with each other that they reached the edge almost together, drawing equal sobs of joy and relief as they found the ultimate pleasure.

Vin drew away quickly, moving to the side and gently massaging Chris's cramped leg muscles before he accepted Chris's worn bandanna and used it to clean them both. Afterwards, he moved into Chris's embrace, holding and caressing the sweat-sheened flesh. They lay together for a long time, staring up at another clear night full of stars before the snicker of the horses reminded them that they hadn't even put them into the corral, let alone unsaddled them.

With a groan, Chris pushed to his feet, feeling a little silly standing there buck-naked from the waist down, though his jacket covered his bare ass. He reached for his pants but Vin grabbed them first.

"Haven't had a mug of coffee in more'n a day. Why don't you go in and start that damn ornery stove of yours while I see to the horses."

"Damn, Vin. Starting to sound too domesticated."

"I am, am I? Well, as long as I can come home to that fine white ass of yours then I don't reckon I care." Vin punctuated his words by swiftly stepping forward and lifting the jacket to expose Chris's bare ass. "Or maybe you could show me how serious you're..."

The final words were not lost on Chris as he recalled how he had snarled them to Browner that last time the man tried to touch him, and Chris felt the last of the tension he'd been holding since the railroad camp seep away in laughter. Vin leaped back before Chris could take a swipe at his ass, darting backwards to dance just out of Chris's reach.

"You can run but you can't hide, Tanner. Not if you want another piece of this _fine white ass_."

Vin laughed. "Damn, Larabee, you just don't play fair."

"Ain't that the truth, Vin... so just you don't forget it."

He turned away to retrieve his boots and clothing but Vin called to him softly, so he looked back. Reaching inside the pocket of his buckskin jacket, Vin withdrew a small package, throwing it at Chris. He caught it deftly, eyeing the package with suspicion.

"Figured you could use one of these."

Chris pulled open the package and grinned at the new, dark-colored bandanna, knowing even without the benefit of good light that it would be a deep green.

He smiled his thanks, grinning at the shyness that came over Vin as his lover ducked his head and turned away to see to the horses.

As he wandered into the shack, his pants and underwear draped over his arm and boots in hand, Chris shook his head in silent wonder. Once more, Vin's presence had banished another of his demons... and this time before it could even begin take root in his soul.

THE END


End file.
